Boston’s Buffalo Tom is currently wrapping up their tour, they’ll be ending at Chicago’s Metro the next night. The group form in the late ‘80s, rose to fame in the early ‘90s with Let Me Come Over and Big Red Letter Day, which I discovered them through college radio.

Eventually saw the band (with Grant Hart, rest in peace) when they were on tour for their compilation record Asides from Buffalo Tom in February 2000. You can tell it was cold, even guitarist and singer Bill Janovitz was wearing hat and coat indoors...

Buffalo Tom’s new album is Quiet and Peace (Banquet Records), their first album in seven years. The trio will stop by the Varsity Theater in Dinkytown on Friday, September 7th.

Note: There is no opening band, because the band will play a double set, with Let Me Come Over set (“and yes, we know LMCO 25 was last year”) and a “new and old stuff” set.

Roots music legends Dave Alvin (from rhythm and blues band The Blasters) and Jimmie Dale Gilmore (named “Country Artist of the Yea” twice by Rolling Stone) have united for this 2017 tour. The two will hit the road to swap songs and share stories of their life experience.
…

From different worlds, Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, have teamed up to record an album.
Alvin is the singer/songwriter from the Blasters and Gilmore is from Texas hippie-country band Flatlanders.

The two will be stopping by the Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant on Thursday, September 6th. The two longtime friends (with backup band The Guilty Ones) will be playing from their critically acclaimed album, Downey To Lubbock.

In celebration of The Ghost Note Symphonies, Vol. 1 (Virgin Records),
Rise Against will be headlining a 2018 tour with my brother’s favorite AFI and Anti-Flag. Should be a real banger, as the kids would say it, at the Armory on Thursday.

Once again, at the Armory, South Carolina rock band
Needtobreathe will be headlining in support of their collection of songs, Forever On Your Side (Niles City Sound Sessions). Johnnyswim and Forest Blakk
to open.

Australia’s Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever is back in town, this time at the Turf Club on Friday, September 7th. The group was previously in town in April 2018, promoting their album
Hope Downs (Sub Pop).

Oh Wonder is kicking off their Ultralife tour at First Avenue in Minneapolis on Tuesday.

We caught the British duo at their first Minneapolis show in June 2016 and noted, “This was Oh Wonder’s first time in Minneapolis, and they were incredibly pleased at the turn out and also the historic nature of the venue (it is often associated with Prince as the venue was used often in the film Purple Rain). Of course, with only one album under their belt, the band basically played their entire album live. Hits like ‘Lose It’ were done early in the set, Unforgotten theme song ‘All We Do’ played mid-set, and saving new single ‘Plans’ for the encore.”

Legendary Los Angeles punk band X (not to be confused with Australian band X or Japanese band X or London band The xx) recently made a semi-rare Minneapolis appearance last night at Mill City Nights. …

Los Angeles’ X is on their 40th Anniversary tour. They are proud to mention that all the original band members are on this anniversary tour, including singer Exene Cervenka, bassist/singer John Doe, guitarist
Billy Zoom, and drummer D.J. Bonebrake.

We previously caught the band in a rare appearance in 2015 and Exene and John earlier this July 2017. Noted, “Another iconic front woman, Exene Cervenka and musical partner from X, John Doe opened the first leg and this show with a short twenty-three minute acoustic set. Half of the iconic punk band came off more like Johnny and June than say, Sid and Nancy, playing a folk-tinged, stripped set that included X classics, and a couple covers.”

Rising punk band Skating Polly is the special guests for all of X’s tour, as we’ve previously mentioned. We caught the sibling band when they headlined the 7th Street Entry in May 2017 and said, “The history of Skating Polly actually started in 2009, when the two step-siblings, Kelli Mayo and Peyton Bighorse were just 9 and 14, respectively. While we were curious about the duo, having written about them last year, the band made a big change in their DIY band in 2017: they added their brother Kurtis Mayo to the lineup.”

The Cribs has a brand new album called 24-7 Rock Star Sh**, and their first promotional tour date in the U.S.A. starts in Minneapolis at the 7th Street Entry on Thursday!

We last saw the trio in September 2015 and wrote, “I think it's best summed up by The Cribs' guitarist/vocalist Ryan Jarman as he exclaimed, "Let's rock like it's 2007!" referring to their first St Paul show. The trio, featuring twins Ryan & Gary, and younger brother Ross Jarman, are currently touring in support of their sixth studio album For All My Sisters, which came out last March 2015 via Sonic Blew / Sony RED UK.”

San Francisco-based band Thao & The Get Down Stay Down got down with us at the Cedar Cultural Center on April 1st and we loved every moment of it. The band is currently …

Other shows in the area:

09/12/2017
Samantha Fish is headlining the Cedar Cultural Center on Tuesday, in support of her new record Chills & Fever. Fish has deep Motown, soul, and R&B influence on her album, as well as edgy rock ‘n roll sound.
Ken Valdez to open.
7pm, $15

09/13/2017
Thao Nguyen of Thao & The Get Down Stay Down is doing a solo show at
Cedar Cultural Center on Wednesday.
Yowler (also solo) to open.
7pm, $20

09/14/2017
John Mulaney is doing stand-up at the Northrop Auditorium on Thursday.
7pm and 10pm, $25

Opening the show was Big Wild from Los Angeles. Big Wild is Jackson and was definitely a jaw dropper as an opening act for an already amazing line up. What sets Big Wild apart from the other acts of the night
…

SOHN is the stagename for Vienna-based (but London-born) Christopher Taylor. Taylor is touring in support of his debut album Tremors, which came out in April via 4AD Records.
…

Other shows in the area:

04/03/17 OMNI with Brilliant Beast and Spooky Ghost to play the 7th Street Entry.
$10 gets you in the door.

04/04/17 Local favorites The 4onthefloor will be playing the Triple Rock Social Club with Tabah . Do you realized it’s 4 (April) on the 4th?

04/04/17 The Molochs (not the ancient child eater god or the metal band called Moloch) will be playing the 7th Street Entry on this night.
The Los Angeles-ish musician (by the way of Buenos Aires) will be promoting his new album America's Velvet Glory. Cosmonauts is the co-headliner. Cult of Lip to open. Additional details at first-avenue.com, $10 entry fee.

04/04/17 Scottish trio Biffy Clyro sold out the Turf Club on Tuesday. We reviewed their record Ellipsis, last August and wrote, “A recurring theme found in the album’s lyrics is the concept of “fighting back” against one’s personal demons. An ideal of living life unfettered, like an animal, also recurs throughout. Frontman Simon Neil has said that Ellipsis was created to be a volatile “fight rock, pint-in-the-face rock,” album.” O'Brother to open.

04/05/17
Big Wild is playing Fine Line Music Café; touring in support of their debut EP Invincible (Foreign Family Collective). The band is co-signed to Seattle’s ODESZA. Phantoms and Imagined Herbal Flows to open.

Friday, 25 March 2016

Opening up the show, was Crooked Still's Aoife O'Donovan playing some folky/storytelling songs from her latest solo album Fossils, including set opening song "Lay My Burden Down", "Oh, Mama", and "Beekeeper".
....

Aoife O’Donovan (known for being the lead singer of Crooked Still) continues her headlining North American tour in support of her second solo album In the Magic Hour. The record was written in the wake of her grandfather’s death, making it a personal album for O’Donovan. Guests on the album included Chris Thile, Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz and Gabriel Kahane among others.

We previously caught O’Donovan with Glen Hansard in November 2015 and wrote, “After her Joni Mitchell cover song "You Turn Me On, I'm A Radio" (to be released as a B-Side on this Black Friday Record Store Day 7" single), she is joined on stage with Thomas Brosseau, who provided piano for the rest of her 30-min set.”

Saintseneca is back with a new album Such Things, which came out earlier this month on Anti- Records/Epitaph.
...

THAO & THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN
at Fine Line Music Cafe
Wednesday, 03/30/16, 7:30pm ($20)finelinemusic.com

Thao Nguyen (Thao & the Get Down Stay Down) and Merrill Garbus (tUnE-yArDs) recently broke down the creative process behind the track “Astonished Man” off of Thao & the Get Down Stay Down’s new album A Man Alive (Ribbon Music) in Funny Or Die's new parody of the New York Times’ recent Bieber/Diplo/Skrillex video. Watch the video here.

The tour starts tonight (March 25th) at Portland’s Wonder Ballroom.

We’ve been following Thao since for awhile, but the last time we caught the band was with the Head and the Heart in 2013.

Saintseneca to open. The Columbus band was previously in town in October 2015 in support of their Anti- Records/Epitaph’s Such Things.

Grrrl rockers Skating Polly will be in town next Wednesday, March 30th. The duo (Kelli Mayo and Peyton Bighorse) was previously in town in in 2014 with White Fang. If you’re new to the band, you can check out their Ugly Pop EP for free (or a suggested donation) via Noise Trade.

Opening will be several local bands: Catbath, Cherry Cola (the solo project from Stereo Confession), and Bruise Violet (named after a Babes in Toyland song).

The Portland indie/Americana band is currently touring in support of their sophomore LP, Wild Pack. The digital and CD were released last week (October 15th), but look for the …

Seattle's The Head and the Heart just stopped by First Avenue, in Minneapolis, as part of their national tour in support of Let's Be Still. The album was released last week, October 15th, 2013, on Sup Pop.

QUIET LIFE

Opening up for this sold-out folk show were Quiet Life, from Portland. I got the impression that the band are close friends with The Head and the Heart and they were really grateful to be sharing the stage with the headliner.

The band had a very brief thirty minute set with about six songs, starting with "Devil's Kin", from their latest album Wild Pack, and ending with "Shaky Hands", which I think I heard was a new song, written about a friend's divorce.
Highlight of their set was "Messin' Around", mostly thanks to the organ-playing and catchy (easy to remember) chorus.

THAO & THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN

Since we last saw Thao Nguyen, she was at the Cedar earlier in 2013. This truncated set featured a lot of new songs, taken from her latest release We the Common, including "Holy Roller" and "Every Body". The new material, as I discovered it hearing it live, is more aggressive than her folk songs from her previous two albums.

Although the set was shorter, Thao display her talent for all things strings: jumping from guitar to acoustic to banjo to steel guitar. It was fun to watch the transitions.

Prior to The Head and the Heart taking the stage, whoever was manning the music was playing nothing but Velvet Underground songs. It was a fitting tribute to Lou Reed, who passed away that day.

Then the intro music of "Springtime" was played on the speakers and suddenly The Head and the Heart launched into "Summertime", featuring
Charity Thielen on lead vocals. You soon discovered that vocals were shared among the trinity of Charity, Josiah, and Jonathan. And, in fact, the three of them does a lot of tight harmony on many of their songs.

As you can see from their setlist, about half the songs are from their latest album Let's Be Still, including "Summertime",
"Homecoming Heroes", "Shake", "Cruel", and "Josh McBride". You could always tell which songs were from the debut self-titled album because they usually had the audience singing along, in particular the set closer "Rivers and Roads".

Encore were "These Days Are Numbered" (featuring Charity solo), "Gone", and "Down in the Valley". After seeing how both the Head and the Heart shows sold out, singer Jonathan Russell just could not believe that all these fans came together. "You're all strangers in one room," Russell said, "It's crazy." You get the feeling that the band also agree that bringing people together, this is what they are about.

The Head and the Heart's latest album, Let's Be Still, is out now on Sub Pop Records. The band has been selling out all their double shows, so if you don't have a ticket now, you may be out of luck. Maybe you could grab a ticket early on the next tour?

Did I not warn you that " the band to head out on tour in 2013 in support of the new album"? I have just received confirmed tour dates for Thao & The Get Down Stay Down for 2013. ...…

San Francisco-based band Thao & The Get Down Stay Down got down with us at the Cedar Cultural Center on April 1st and we loved every moment of it. The band is currently on tour promoting their newest record We The Common out on Ribbon Music.

This throaty voiced tiny performer fills the room with her energy and packs a punch into every song, putting on an incredible show. She ends every song in her performance with the same energy she starts with; jamming hard on whatever instrument she happens to be playing at the time. Her abilities range far beyond her voice, playing the banjo, acoustic guitar, a purple electric guitar and a slide guitar perfectly, infusing her performance with variability and raw talent, leaving us as the audience amazed.

As Thao sings, she seems to call the audience to feel with her, challenging them to be introspective, and to accompany her through her journey of discovery. There is so much feeling and depth present in every lyric and every song, and it’s apparent that this is a deeply personal album. This seems appropriate, since her last album, she has been working with the artist advocacy non-profit Air Traffic Control and volunteering with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners. She is both an activist and musician, promoting OX-FAM and giving props to Minnesotans United for Families during the show. It’s obvious the love that she has for her fans and the feeling is definitely mutual. There aren’t many shows left on her tour so if you have the chance to see this little dynamo in concert, take it, she is an incredible woman, artist, and performer.

Thao & The Get Down Stay Down at the Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis (04/01/13)

Sunday, 13 January 2013

Their latest song, "Holy Roller," just premiered on their website and youtube. The song is from forthcoming record We the Common, out February 5th on Ribbon Music. ..…

Did I not warn you that " the band to head out on tour in 2013 in support of the new album"?
I have just received confirmed tour dates for Thao & The Get Down Stay Down for 2013.

As expected, their latest album, We The Common, will be out February 5th on Ribbon Music. The title track "We The Common (For Valerie Bolden)" recently premiered on SPIN.com (which incidentally shut down its print editions and is now strictly digital). The song was said to be inspired by Thao Nguyen's volunteer work with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners.

Pre-ordering the album via dominorecordco.com will you get you two bonus songs (Melanie's "Brand New Key" and The Troggs' "With A Girl Like You"). The two songs are available as a limited edition 7" with the vinyl order.

In addition to the tour, they are doing some free promo in-store performances at these dates:

Thursday, 25 October 2012

I'm heading out to see red-head A Fine Frenzy tonight at Mill City Nights in Minneapolis. I will also swing by 7th Street to see Canadian six-piece, Hey Rosetta!, so if you're coming out, come say hi to me. I'll be in the front.

It's about $1 for 10 Notes, so she's charging $5 per ticket. What's funny is, I noticed it changing from 40 Notes to 50 Notes. I don't know what it is, but have you ever pick up an item in a retail store and noticed a different price over an old price? If the older price is higher, you'll buy it and think it's a deal. If the older price is lower, then you think you're being ripped off!

That's okay, I can't really attend because I'm heading out early. Plus, I don't want to take any seat from her fans; I believe her show will virtually "sell out." Besides, I'm saving my 'notes' to see other random shows. I kind of wish Stageit had free shows, but I believe there is a minimum of 1 Note (10 cents) per show. Also, if you buy a ticket to a show and forget to show up on that date, you don't get a refund. So be warned about internet failures or not being home or plain forgetfulness.

I also wish they'd offer a download of the show in case you want to re-watch or if you get disconnected, but Stageit is live only. Maybe charge a premium for the video download or offer it free with your ticket?

I've already seen Youngs in person at a show a few years ago, and was quite impressed with her. Her third studio album, An Unwavering Band of Light is out now.

We've been covering Thao & the Get Down Stay Down for the last five years, so we love her.

Their latest song, "Holy Roller," just premiered on their website and youtube. The song is from forthcoming record We the Common, out February 5th on Ribbon Music. The album features twelve new songs, including a duet with Joanna Newsom.

Frontwoman Thao Nguyen had this to say about the song, "It was the first song I wrote for this new record…it marked a shift in how I operate. I was steadily, in an overdue way, becoming grateful for everything and everyone I had. I tried to capture a sense of revival and a determination to be better."

Expect the band to head out on tour in 2013 in support of the new album.

New York City's Beca is releasing Born to Fly EP on November 20th, her second release on UK's This is Music Ltd. You can hear the track via Under the Radar.

Don't really know much about Beca, but her biography insists "a female Serge Gainsbourg produced by the RZA." Don't they mean Charlotte Gainsbourg, or is his daughter too sweet? Charlotte was in a dark, dark movie called "Anti-Christ," which is far from sweet or innocent.

To me, I've always thought Serge was really talented singer and songwriter, but a bit of a chain smoker and womanizer. Maybe Beca's a manizer? I don't know if there's actually a word for what I'm looking for.

Anyway, her biography:

Landing in London recently with a brand new project under the Beca pseudonym, “Let’s Run Wild” is the New Yorker's debut EP on This Is Music, revealing a fresh, darker, moodier sound that fits Beca like a glove. Imagine a female Serge Gainsbourg produced by the RZA.

There will be a Born to Fly EP release party on November 13th in Pianos in New York. Something in Spanish and Lady DM (DJ set) are also on the bill.

Monday, 22 August 2011

I was sent Diaz's Far From Things That We Know EP to listen to, which is coming out September 20th on tinyOGRE Entertainment. I really liked "Johnny", I'm looking forward to hearing that song done live. I thought Diaz's voice is lovely/sweet on all three tracks, just like the video for "Let's Go" by Matt Amato. Which.... admittedly I did not like the boring video.

Diaz kicked off a national tour last week with fellow Nashville songwriter Keegan DeWitt (you can grab two free songs at madidiaz.com/tour).

Look for Diaz's full-length to be out in early 2012, but I suspect you'll hear those unreleased songs on her tour:

I know I've previously mentioned her September dates here, but I personally like her, I'm adding more dates (see below).

Among the new dates will be that they will be playing with Sub Pop's The Head and the Heart. New dates includes Minneapolis!

This is her fourth time in Minneapolis, her fourth time playing at the Cedar Cultural Center. She really LOVES the venue.
It's easy to see why, as I've previously mentioned, it's one of my favorite and best places to see live music.

Loch Lomond from Portland, Oregon, is going on tour this September to promote their second album, Little Me Will Start a Storm, released earlier this year. The album comes out on all formats (CD, Vinyl, and digital).

Don't really know much about this band, but here's yet another Portland band. They seem quite new, having first started in late 2010 with a single called Ffunny Ffrends via bandcamp - however, if you head over to unknown-mortal-orchestra.bandcamp.com, there's nothing there.

According to their press release, singer
Ruban Nielson is from New Zealand, but currently living in Portland with his band Mint Chicks.

They are doing a ton of tour dates, with a FREE show in LA at Bardot on 8/29, RSVP here.

Tuesday, 12 July 2011

I saw Margaret Cho last year, she's funny, but it's not a show for kids.

Anyway, I wanted to let you know that starting today, her Grammy-nominated album, Cho Dependent, can be had for as low as $1. This promotion is great if you haven't already got the album. And if you already own the CD, no problem, the digital download also includes two extra unreleased tracks.

Portion (20%) of this download goes to Immediate Justice, a charity for young women and queer folks of color. So be generous, if you've got the cash. If you're the #1 top donor, you get to appear in Cho's upcoming music video for "Asian Adjacent", filming in Los Angeles on July 24th. Second prize is a set of steak knives. Just kidding, you get a Cho Dependent package (tote bag, CHO HO tank top, posters, and an autographed LP). If 500 people donate, we all get "Sexting", an unreleased song from Drag Queen Sherry Vine featuring Margaret Cho. Make it happen.

Lots of buzz, this post-Oasis band, lead by Liam Gallagher will play some key dates in America, hot off their debut album, Different Gear, Still Speeding. As I have previously warned/mentioned, you have to see this band this early in the stage of their career, otherwise you'll always kick yourself for not seeing them when they were starting out.

I know they're not even coming here until November and December, but you may want to buy tickets now before they sell out. Tickets goes on sale July 15th (Friday), with the exception of San Francisco - that goes on sale July 17th.

I wanted to see Marnie Stern's famed "tapping" guitar style (which some people is calling her "Greatest Female Guitarists Of All Time"), but unfortunately, I was out of town when she was here in Minneapolis. She's still on tour, so here are the dates:

I saw these guys open up for Arctic Monkeys, I have to say "A Lack Of Understanding" sounded great live. I also mentioned that their most energetic song was called "Nørgaard", which the video just debut July 7th via
vevo.com. The video features a sexy active Danish girl Amanda Nørgaard playing tennis, skating, bicycling, and bowling.